“We Still Believe”: Black Mothers, Faith, and Graduate Experience

• In Event: Focusing on Graduate Student Experiences: Reflections on Engagement and Activism for Black and Latina Students

Abstract

This research centers on the experiences of Black mothers in graduate school by taking an anti-deficit approach to examining Black mothers' use of faith. The study seeks to understand how faith operates in their lives as they encounter intersecting systems of oppression in pursuit of doctoral degrees. The study uses Parks’ theory of faith development and womanism. The methodology and methods include narrative inquiry by participants engaging in reflective journaling, a focus group, and individual interviews. The findings indicate Black mothers encounter multiple institutional barriers such as a lack of childcare, unsupportive professionals, and microaggressions in regard to race, class, age, and parental status. The findings also indicate the ways Black mothers conceptualize and embody faith.

Author

• Katrina A Calhoun, University of Massachusetts - Amherst